Folding machine



g- 1949- c. CHRISTIANSEN 2,478,459

FOLDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 IN VEN TOR.

v 'CHRAST/fl/V CHE/5 77F9/V6E/Y Patented Aug. 9 1 949 FOLDING MACHINE f H Christian Christiansen, SWampscott, Mass., as- V signor to Rotary Machine Company, Inc., Lynn, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts 7 Application November 14, 1947, Serial No. 185,931 A Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for folding and securing the binding on an insole or for lasting an upper to an insole, and is an improvement on the machine described and claimed in my Patent Number 2,446,043. The nature and objects of the invention will best be understood by reference to the following description together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

' Fig. l is a view in front elevation of a machine embodying the invention shown in operation;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of said machine also illustrating the operation;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation as viewed from the left of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a part of the machine as shown in Fig 1; a

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the end of the folding and holding finger, and r Fig. '7 is a modification of apart of the machine.

In the drawings, a machine frame I on a base plate 2 has a support 3 on which a motor 3 is secured as by'bolts' motor supplies power-to a system of gears *1 (Fig. 2) which turn a shaft 8 passing through and journalled in a sleeve 9 held in the bracket [0 on the frame. The forward end of the shaft 8 carries a folding wheel H, which is described more fully later.

A split ring l9 (Fig. 3) is clamped to sleeve 9 and carries a post 26 to which a horizontal arm 21 is fastened. The outer end of arm 2! is clamped to a vertical sleeve or tube 22 through which passes a rod 23. The lower end of rod 23 is provided with a clamping head 24 which holds a rod 25 having a clamping head 25a which holds the stem of a finger 26. The forward end of this finger has a generally spatulate angular end 21; the rearward end of the stem is provided with a connection 28 (Fig. 3) adapted to pass electric current from an extension cord plug 29 to a heating element 30 within the shank of the stem. On the upper end of sleeve 22 is clamped an arm 3| carrying a pin 32 (Fig. 2). A handle 33 clamped to the upper end of rod 23 has a projection 34 secured thereto by a bolt 35. An expansion type spring 36 has one end secured to bolt and the other end held under adjustable tension to pin 32. Projection 34 has a set screw 31 held in position by a lock nut 38. The set screw, under the urge of spring 36, normally bears on post 20.

Finger 26 is held so that its spatulate end is 5; The drive shaft 6 of the .spatulate finger.

normally positioned adjacent the rim of folding wheel II as bestshown'in Fig. 3. The spacing between the finger and the rim of the wheel is determined by the setting of set screw 3'! according to the thickness of material which is to be passed between the end of the finger and the folding wheel. The spring '36, which urges the "'endofthe set screw toward the "post 2i), also causes the end of the'finger to press the material of the work toward and against the rim of the wheel;

The mechanism heretofore described is similar to correspondingly numbered parts in Patent Number 2,446,043, and is not claimed herein. It will be noted, however, that in said application, the wheel II had a bevelled portion and preferably a screw-threaded portion, said members cooperating with a flattened portion of the With the foregoing construction, a supporting roll or wheel was used. The present invention provides a faster working and more simplified mechanism. The wheel ll now has a bevelled periphery 50, the whole surface of which isprovided with threads 5| (Fig. 6). The

bevel is preferably between 20 to 30 degrees. The spatulateportion 2'lof finger 26 has an inner curved surface 52 which has a concave surface approximately equal in curvature to that of the rim of the folding wheel, and is additionally provided with a small generally triangular tip 53. The tip 53 extends outward substantially at right angles to the flattened portion of the finger, and has its leading edge 54 more sloping (i. e. at a more acute angle to its base) than the trailing edge 55, which is practically perpendicular to the base. The outer part 56 of the finger is given a slight convex curve which aids in rolling the insole over during its passage. The threads have sufficient angularity to the face of the wheel to draw the material and stretch it as it is folded over the tip of the finger. There is a left-hand pitch, as shown in Fig. 6, of about A of an inch to the complete turn for a wheel having a diameter of about 5 /2 inches. In the modification shown in Fig. '7, the folding wheel Ila is also provided with transverse grooves 51, which cross the threads 5i to form separate projections. These interrupted threads are capable of a greater pull on the work, and also serve to retain more of the excess cement, which increases the tackiness of the folding surface.

In operation, the motor 4 is started and turns the folding wheel I l clockwise as viewed in Fi 1. Electric current is supplied to resistance unit 30 which heats the finger. An insole A is held with 3 the surface to be secured uppermost. The insole A has a tape B stitched to one surface of the insole, and this tape has cement alon the surface a (Fig. 2) which is to be cemented to the insole. The operator turns the handle 33 counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 to move the finger away from the.folding Wheel .andlholds .the insole A so that the 'e'dgeic (Fig. of the insole rests against the tip 53. The upper surface D of the insole rests against the heel 53 of the hooked finger, and thefree margin or flap of the tape, is passed about the outside of the tip. The tip 53 of the finger then extends ,as .far as possible between the tapeand 'the-efige,off .the I insole, and serves to hold the work 1111131388. The inner cement-covered surface of the flap is heated by the hot finger '-until the cement is softened enough to act as a lubricant and-render the tape slippery. The handle is released, causing thefree ,edge of the tape tohepressed between the finger and thebevelled part of the wheel by the pressure applied by the spring. Unless the .operator releases the .work, the flap is thus. held under constant, pressure throughout the operation.

.Thethreaded edge of the wheel starts the tape .turning about the tip .of .thefinger, grasps the material and stretches it, .the slanting threads exerting a continuouspulluntil thetape isfolded past the end of the finger and pressed or ironed against the surface .of .the insole.

Throughout the operation the .tip 53 serves as a guide and support for the edge ofthelinsole.

.Provided the operator pushes ttheinsolethrough its proper course, the deviceiof theinventionpulls the tape tightly about the edge of the insole,

:heats the'cemented tape, stretches itbackeover the surface of the insole and ironsfit in :place without wrinkles in the tape organs in the seal.

I claim: 7

'1. 'A folding 'machine having, in "combination, a rotatable folding wheel, means 'for "rotating the wheel, heated means adapted to bear against work held between it andthe foldin wheel dur-' ing .an operating cycle, andan edge supporting member on said heated means for holding the work in place as it is moved into folding position.

2. A folding machine having, in combination, a rotatable folding wheel, means for rotating the wheel, a heated spatulate finger adapted to bear against work held between it and the folding wheel .duringqan operating cycle, and a projec- .tion.:attached te-said finger substantially at right angles to the axis thereof adapted to support the work.

3. A'folding machine having, in combination,

'awrotatahle folding wheel, means for rotating the wheel, .heated .means adapted to bear against work held'betwelen itv and the folding wheel, a

flattened portionon said last named means having a concave area adjacent the folding wheel, and a projection extending outwardly substantiallyat right angles to said flattened area having a leading and a trailing edge, said projection forming a more acute angle with the flattened portion at its leading edge than at its trailing edge.

4, In the machine of claim 1, in combination,

"a screw threaded peripheral surface on said fold- REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are ofrecord in:the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS .Number Name a Date 268,741 Smith Dec. .5, 1882 1,356,540 McFeely vOct. 26, 1920 1,476,015 Julian Dec. 4,.1923 2,400,074 7 .Christiansen May. 14, 19.46 

